Minister Inaugurates 13th Bay of Bengal Program Governing Council Meeting

The Minister officially inaugurated the two-day high-level meeting on "Policy Guidance for Mainstreaming the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management in Small-Scale Fisheries," organized by the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation

The meeting, held at Paradise Island Resort, brings together key stakeholders and experts from Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives to bolster collaborative efforts in advancing sustainable fisheries management in the region.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Minister emphasised the importance of regional solidarity in tackling shared challenges such as Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, vessel monitoring and enforcement, and climate resilience in fisheries. He highlighted that the Indian Ocean is our home, and it is our collective responsibility to manage and protect its resources.

This meeting marks an important step in reinforcing regional cooperation and ensuring that small-scale fisheries remain resilient, productive, and sustainable.